It feels good to do something good.

Take exercise, for example. A workout can act as a an antidepressant for some and reduce stress for others. The knowledge that you’re doing something proactive for your body coupled with the endorphin rush that comes with exertion can leave you with a healthy buzz that stays with you all day.

Or try doing some good for the world around you. There’s a certain joy in making a deeper connection with your community and having a positive impact in the future we all share.

Combining those two things might be the best of both worlds. This is the Active Altruism movement in a nutshell, and it’s the philosophy behind many fitness movements that are moving active attitudes from focusing on “me” to “we.”

One way of doing this is sometimes called plogging or the more vividly descriptive trashercize. By either name, the idea is to combine an activity like walking or running with picking up litter. You might have already heard of people you pay attention to doing this – writer David Sedaris is infamous for being a “trash vigilante” and even has a garbage truck named after him. Singer and actress Bette Midler has been on a cleanup crusade since 1994, combining a hands-on approach with her larger restoration efforts.

To follow their example, just take a tour around your neighborhood or walk home from work and you’re likely to see litter waiting to be picked up. Taking that extra step gets a lot easier when what you’re wearing is suited to the task. With work-from-anywhere apparel still prevalent in many people’s wardrobes, activewear is a natural fit that enables you to make a positive change for yourself and for the planet.

With that in mind, jackets and sweatshirts built for activity provide layering options for any weather, while also adding all-important functionality. Each detail built in to activewear pieces like these — pockets and buttons and zippers, oh my! — is designed to make it easier for you to get outside and bring your technology with you, safely stashed away when it’s not in use. Nobody wants to lose those expensive earbuds!

An extra backpack or bag to carry your supplies never hurts either, and those built-in features come into play here too. Look for extra pockets for water and snacks, safe spaces for your devices and larger compartments to carry a change of clothes or alternate footwear. The Original Pack is a great example of this — lightweight with lots of space and a colorful design that adds some fun to your workout.

Not all workouts require leaving the house, and there are also ways to make a difference without going anywhere. The Green Microgym, for example, doesn’t require power to run – quite the opposite. It uses the energy you expend during your workout to generate power for your home. Dress for comfort in your favorite activewear attire and get to work on both your health and your carbon footprint. You can even sneak this workout in during that Zoom meeting you didn’t need to be in — I won’t tell anyone, promise.

From generating our own power to cleaning up our neighborhoods, we’re finding ways to make getting healthier bodies also contribute to a healthier world. And that feels good for everyone.

Join us next month for a look at how the brands people choose to wear reflect their personal brand, and how influencers are using that as a way to effect positive change in some of fashion’s biggest names. See you then!